By the term "eScience" we mean the skills involved in analysis, presentation, and management of data in commerce, industry and research; the use of computer analysis, modelling and data presentation tools; and the use of the World Wide Web and other tools on the Internet for presentation and cooperation in the use of data. Indications from IT employers are that science graduates turn out to be excellent IT professionals after a phase of appropriate training, and there are positions in the industry which require the strong mathematical and analytical skills of science graduates.
The Graduate Diploma in IT (eScience) course was approved at ANU in 2000. The first intake of 10 students started in summer session X1, before semester 1 2001, and a second intake is expected before 2nd semester. The eScience program is initially provided by competitive funds from the Australian Government DETYA under the Science Lectureship Initiative, and draws on staff, equipment, laboratory and software at the ANU and at RMIT University. The conditions of the grant of funds oblige us to offer a Graduate Diploma and a Masters program in eScience. The Graduate Diploma at RMIT is currently being submitted for approval to start in semester 2, 2001.
The object is to train students who possess a Science degree background to become practitioners in contemporary Information Technology, by building on their science skills and knowledge. The program therefore provides courses in the nature of IT conversion and scientific development for those who are scientifically trained but not IT trained, although it may be useful in developing IT workers in scientific application of their networked information technology.
The Graduate Diploma requires 48 units (credit points) of work over one or two years. A major individual project occupies 12 units; most other units (courses) are 6 units, with a few of 3 units. The entry requirement is a good 3 year Bachelor degree in science including some mathematics, with a Credit average (60%) overall.
The proposed Masters degree requires 72 units (1 1/2 years full time equivalent) of study. It may be taken part-time or full-time. It is intended that the first students will start in 2002.
The content of the Masters degree program is designed to build up and draw on the strengths of the Department of Computer Science in the area of visualisation, virtual reality, and web technology. At the same time the program provides a link to draw in external expertise in Human Computer Interaction, and increases the number of students likely to have interest in Computational Science, which is an area of current development in the department and the university. As the World Wide Web is maturing it is clear that these areas will grow, and expertise in them will extend and enrich the offerings of the department, providing a number of postgraduate courses which could also be used by undergraduates at fourth year and honours level, and to support other Masters' programs.
| COMP6442 | Networked Scientific Data Analysis and Presentation | 6 units |
| COMP6461 | Computer Graphics | 6 |
| STAT8026 | Graphical Data Analysis | 6 |
| COMP6311 | Software Analysis and Design | 6 |
Note: these courses already exist.
| COMP6702 | eScience project II | 12 units |
| COMP6443 | Internetworked Virtual Environments | 6 |
| COMP6461 | Human Computer Interface I | 3 |
COMP6461 already exists. The others are new courses: see below for initial descriptions of COMP6702 and COMP6443.
A number of courses will be offered as special topics within the program,
their range differing from year to year determined
by the interests and availability of staff and visiting staff, availability
of suitable remotely delivered courses, and care to maintain a balance of topics in technology,
milieu, analysis and modelling.
Students will take 12 units. Indicative courses (3 units each):
COMP6340 Internet, Intranet and Document Systems
COMP6341 IT for eCommerce
COMP6240 Relational Databases
COMP6331 Computer Networks
COMP63xx Software Project Management
and other COMP3000, COMP4000, or Computational Mathematics courses by permission.
These descriptions are indicative. The course descriptions will be submitted for approval separately.
A team based project with industry or scientific objective. Includes lectures
and seminar component on IT project management. Assessment based on design
and implementation of software system, written documentation, and team's
verbal presentation. This is a team-based project with higher objectives
that the individual project COMP6701eScience project I which is required
for the Graduate Diploma.
The Project is a capstone unit for the Master's degree and provides an opportunity for the student
to demonstrate the application of all knowledge gained in the course.
A normal prerequisite is therefore 21 units of courses from the MInfTech program.
Virtual reality modelling languages, hardware and software systems;
scene description and distribution;
multiuser virtual environments;
multimedia representation, transmission and synchronisation;
rendering technology.
Competing standards, developing standards, practical standards.
Collaboration and multiuser worlds; avatars, human interaction with
3-Dimensional immersive virtual environments, modelling consistency and causality.
These topics are exemplified by MOOs and MUDS, VRML, multiuser worlds, HAL, MPEG-4, and remote collaborative virtual environments research.
This unit is a capstone unit for the Masters program.
The comparable market of one year to eighteen months Masters by coursework is now quite competitive. Sampling other group of eight universities' offerings in the Master of IT or similar - conversion programs - shows a range from 2 to 3 semesters equivalent full time study, with a wide range of entry levels. Most of these programs are all coursework, but because of the nature of the ANU program we believe that project work can and should be included. For example, Monash University offers various Masters programs of 3 semesters including up to 1 semester of project work, with an entry level of a related Bachelor degree. UNSW at ADFA offers a 2 semester coursework masters after a 4 year undergraduate degree in a related discipline or a graduate diploma. Various Masters courses at ANU require 2 semesters, from either a three year degree and 2 years related work experience (Master of Management (Technology) and MSc Scientific Communication, or from four years' undergraduate equivalent, namely Honours 2A or Grad Dip (Master of Environmental Science).
Our proposed entry requirements of a 3 year Bachelors degree with a good average and some related content places this Masters degree in the more academically selective category, comparable with the RMIT Master of Applied Science (a specialist degree for those with a 3 year computing degree) rather than their Master of Technology (1 year conversion). The length of the degree agrees with this.
Reports from the ANU International Office and our own experience indicate a strong international demand for supplementary and conversion Masters of Information Technology programs such as this one (for example, for BSc and Bachelor of Computer Applications graduates). Graduate Diploma programs have a comparatively small international market, but it is intended to retain the Graduate Diploma as a lighter weight, early exit point for students initially enrolled in the full Masters, and also as an enrolment target entering to postgraduate study for the less well financed international student and for local students looking for a shorter conversion or development course.
There is no competition in the specialised area of eScience, but related programs in Multimedia and Web Development are popular. The main attraction points are expected to be
Initial marketing will be supported by recruiting and information materials (paper fliers and Websites) produced within the program and by Faculty staff participation in marketing exhibitions.
Last modified: Mon 26 March 2001